Fifteen men accused of lynching Mohammad Akhlaq, in Dadri in September 2015, have been granted contractual jobs with National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, a public sector undertaking, The Hindu reported on Saturday. All the accused are out on bail. Akhlaq was attacked over suspicion of storing beef in his house.

The English daily’s report alleged said that Dadri’s Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Tejpal Nagar met senior NTPC officials on October 9 to enable their recruitment. The recruitment is part of the NTPC’s employment scheme for villagers affected by the company’s projects.

“Yes, we have agreed to give jobs to unemployed youths of Bishahra,” an unidentified NTPC spokesperson told The Hindu. “It has nothing to do with Akhlaq’s lynching. Contractual jobs have been offered to many residents of Bishahra village because it is the NTPC’s policy to give jobs to all project-affected persons based on their qualification and expertise.”

Meanwhile, News18 reported that the family of deceased accused Ravin Sisodia will get a compensation of Rs 8 lakh.